“Good morning dear fellow villagers. Through the united efforts of every household in Fengyang Village and our city comrades who have come to help us build our countryside we have reaped a fine harvest this first half of the year.”
The village chief stood at the centre of the threshing ground holding a handwritten speech and a rolled newspaper serving as a makeshift loudspeaker. He recounted the fruits of everyone’s labour.
All listened attentively. When he announced the weight of wheat harvested, the amount of rice delivered to the state and the bushels of sweet potatoes, potatoes and soybeans gathered, faces lit up with quiet pride. Every grain represented months of toil. Who could not feel proud?
With the summary complete the chief turned to distribution. Under the collective system every person must be fed first. Only the remainder was divided according to work contributed.
By long standing custom after setting aside the state grain seventy percent of the rest was shared equally by every man woman and child newborns included.¹ The final thirty percent was awarded based on work points earned.
Thanks to improved farming methods steadily raising yields over recent years the harvest proved abundant.
With more grain gathered every household received more. The equal share alone came to no less than two hundred jin per person, enough to sustain an adult for a full year if used thriftily. Combined with the portion earned through labour no family would go hungry and the village could look forward to comfort and plenty in the months ahead.
“Now form an orderly line. Come forward one by one quietly and in turn.” The chief’s throat had grown dry from speaking at length. Yet knowing how eagerly everyone waited he declined water and declared distribution underway.
The entire village committee worked together to keep order. Each villager stepped forward and gave their own name and then the names of all members in their household. Committee members looked up to confirm identity for they truly knew every soul among them. The recorder then reads the total work points accumulated by each family member through the season. The accountant and the relevant production team leader verified the figures.
Finally the total grain due to the household was calculated aloud, weighed by the village secretary and recorded. In truth the accountant had already prepared every calculation. This second check ensured no mistake might slip through. Once satisfied the head of household signed their name beside the entry and took their grain away. The process appeared elaborate yet moved smoothly forward like a well tended stream.
All the while Shu-shu remained fast asleep. She was passed from arms to arms. Team Leader Wang who had carried her was called away to assist and handed her to a neighbour. Before long that person passed her on again and so she changed hands several times never once waking.
Only when her grandfather the chief called her name did she rouse. Eyes still heavy she reached out took the brush he offered and traced her name stroke by stroke neat and straight. Small though she was, she had practiced diligently and wrote with remarkable clarity. Onlookers crowded round marveling at her skill. Praise showered upon her until she blinked fully awake. Then she beamed and declared in her sweetest voice. “Shu-shu is wonderful!” Laughter rippled all around.
“Where does such a precious child come from?” A woman sighed fondly.
“Very well. Shu-shu has received her share. Run along now and let the next come forward.” The chief restored order and business resumed.
Presently Chen Da-fei led her gently aside and told her how much grain had been allotted in her name. Her work points for the half year totalled five fen. She received two hundred and five jin from the equal share and two mace and eight fen from work points. Her grain would not be delivered directly to her but converted into money recorded in an account opened solely for her and held until she came of age.
Her daily food, clothing and care were provided in turn by each household. Since the whole village had undertaken to raise her together none would have her feed herself from her own stores. Her savings remained safe and untouched. Grain taken from the public granary was returned to public keeping before her eyes. Shu-shu minded nothing of it. Her mind was fixed upon malt sugar.
Not every seedling grown for summer planting proved strong enough to transplant. The weaker ones would otherwise go to waste. Rather than cast them aside the village found good use. Young wheat shoots could be boiled down into sweet malt candy, a wholesome treat for children and a precious household store. Chen Da-fei told her his family was preparing malt sugar that very day and asked whether she would come to share some.
“Yes.” At the mention of candy Shu-shu trotted eagerly beside him. Grain and shares were forgotten. On the way they met Ke Xiao-hua also searching for Shu-shu. The three walked on together.
“Aunt Zhang, we have come.” No sooner had they stepped across the threshold than Shu-shu called out warmly, making herself perfectly at home. Aunt Zhang sat in the yard pulling and stretching boiled syrup together with her husband. She broke off a warm piece of creamy white candy and placed it in Shu-shu’s hand.
“Here little one. Taste it. Freshly made malt candy crisp and sweet.”
“Thank you Aunt Zhang.” Shu-shu passed the candy to Chen Da-fei asking him to divide it fairly three ways. Still warm and soft it broke easily. He split it as evenly as he could. Shu-shu put her portion into her mouth and chewed with delight her cheeks swelling round and full. Ke Xiao-hua smiled and tapped the little puffed cheek gently with one finger earning a look of gentle bewilderment.
Though both came from malt Shu-shu preferred this crisp variety. Boiled syrup pulled repeatedly and folded traps air within making it light crisp and less sticky upon the teeth. It suited children and elders alike and was loved by all.
Shu-shu crunched happily watching the grown-ups at work. When the sugar reached the right consistency Uncle Chen pulled it long and thin then cut it into small pieces with scissors letting them fall into a wide sieve of toasted flour. A gentle shake coated each piece keeping it dry and easy to store. Beside the sieve stood clean glass jars waiting to be filled.
When her own candy was gone Shu-shu stepped forward eagerly. “Shu-shu shall help too.”
“Wash your hands thoroughly first, little one.” Aunt Zhang bade her. Since they handled food cleanliness must come first. Shu-shu had already washed hands earlier that day yet went willingly again together with Ke Xiao-hua. Back in the yard Chen Da-fei shook the sieve to coat the candy evenly while the girls packed the crisp pieces into jars. From one batch they filled five glass jars with a handful remaining enough to last a long time.
“Take two pieces each.” Aunt Zhang gave them extra treats. Just then voices called from outside. Their grain distribution had finished and help was needed carrying sacks. Uncle and Aunt Zhang hurried off, bidding Da-fei lock the gate should he leave.
“Where shall we go to play?” Da-fei asked the girls. Both shook their heads content to stay. So the three remained at home chatting and learning simple things. Grown-ups laboured from dawn to dusk and had little time to teach. Much of Shu-shu’s early guidance fell to this group of reborn children. In her past life Ke Xiao-hua would never have imagined herself fit to tutor the village’s one and only university bound scholar. Yet here facing a two year old she felt reasonably well qualified having been a kindergarten teacher for many years even if her formal schooling ended at middle school.